Knitting machine



Feb. 3, 1931. p p L MQNTAGNE 1,791,467

KNITTING MACHINE Filed Mafch 25, 1928 S'Sheets-Sheet 1 E J O i E \Q 4+ I o 22% O Z5 LUJ V gmmm 1931- P P. LAMONTAGNE 1,791,467

KNITTING. MACHINE Filed March 25. 1928 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Feb. 3, 1931. LA MONTAGNE 5,791,467

KNITTING MACHINE Filed March 25, 1928 -5 Sheets-Sheet 5 K Z 4 T ,Z 1Q :2

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Pafr/o R La/ 700739! atented Feb. 3, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE PATRICK P. MONTAGNE, F KANKAKEE, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO PARAMOUNT TEX- TILE MACHINERY COMPANY, OF KANKAKEE, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLI- NOIS KNITTING MACHINE Application filed March 23, 19 28. SerialNo. 264,030.

to end and in which the knitting commences at the toe-end.

My present concept involves an improvement on and a carrying forward of certain.

subject-matter disclosed in United States to Patent No. 1,282,880, dated October 29, 1918,

on the invention of myself and Peter Gable, entitled Knitting machines.

A feature of the machine revealed in that patent resides in producing a proper filllSh to the top of the stocking and embodying therein an anti-ravel-that is, an anti-runback-cours'e and, also, a section of work designed to ravel out and form a distinctive line of demarkation; this result being ef- 2 fected, in part, by controlling the operation of the needles of the. machine in a unique manner.

The operation of that machine, as disclosed in the patent, has, at times, been attended with certain difliculties which it is the object of the present invention to obviatezIn other words,'when the anti-runback course of the stocking has been knit therein and certain of the knitting instrumentalities are resuming normal position, there is'a tendency of some of the needles of the machine to cut the fabric. This is due to the fact that-after the cylinder has been lowered for the knittingof the lock-stitch (fully disclosed in said patent) and at which time the cylinderneedles are below their normal knitting position and feeding yarn to the dial-needles while not casting oif their previous stitches. (it being understood that the dial-needles are,

at that time, knitting normally while the cylinder-needles retain their respective" PEG- vious stitches) on raising the cylinder to resume normal knitting, a cuttingof the'fabric is.- quite apt to be effected by one or more of the group of cylinder-needles which would, at the moment, be under the cylinder-stitchcam at the time of the raising of the cylinder to normal knitting position: In changing the cylinder-height from the lock-stitch level to thenormal knitting level, there is a point at which the needles will draw such a tight stitch as to cause the aforementioned cutting thereof by the needles, because the tension or tightness of the fabric produced in a machine of this type is (as well understood) regulated by the relative position of the cylinder; that is, the fabric is loosened by the raising of the cylinder and tightened by lowering it. The extreme tight-tension cylinder-height is passed when the cylinder is actuated from its lock-stitch level to its normal knitting level. The cutting is caused by the failure of the needles, at thatvparti'cular stage of the operation, to draw enough yarn to form a stitch. There is a point, at this stage of the operation, where the needles neither draw suflicient yarn to forma stitch, nor remain outof action. In fact, only enou h am is drawn by the needles to just cast 05. 11 consequence, when one of the needles starts to raise up through the stitch, itwilltbecause of its size) be of too great diametral dimension for the amount of yarn formed around its hook and, as its cheek is larger than the stitch itself, it severs the latter.

I have discovered, and my present invention is predicated upon the, discovery, that by providing means for temporarily actuat ing and maintaining selected needles out of position to take yarn at a predetermined tifne, they cannot, then, form a stitch, but will'retain their previous stitches, the yarn which has been fedito them lying, then, in front of the needle. In other words, my concept involves the provision of means for maintainihg certain of the knitting instrumentalities in a predetermined but unusual relation,

- and, in addition,

sacrificing any of the salient features and underlying principles of my invention.

In these drawings:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary view, in elevation, of the machine typified in the aforementioned patent-and with my present invention incorporated therein;

Fig. 2 is a view in vertical transverse section thereof, taken on the line 22, Fig. 3;

Fig. 3 is a view in horizontal section of the bed-plate of the machine and of the associated parts thereof, taken on the line 33 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a view in perspective of certain of the instrumentalities-in the form of a needle-camming device-which control the position of a special set of needles for a noncutting operation; and

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary view of a portion of a string of stockinigs, particularly illustrating more or less lagrammatically) the section t ereof wherein tuck-knitting, antirunback course, etc., are formed.

Inasmuch as the machine, in general, with which my ciated is fully disclosed in the aforementioned Patent No. 1,282,880, a detailed description thereof is deemed unnecessary. It will, therefore, suifice to outline it as follows:

Operatively associated with a bed-plate 1 is a needle-cylinder 2 movably mounted in relation to the bed-plate; a cylinder cam-carrying ring 3 is rotatably mounted on the bed- 7 plate; a cylinder-stitch-cam 4 is operatively mounted on this ring; a sinker-cam ring 5 is rotatably mounted on the upper portion of the cylinder a dial 6 is mounted within the upper portion of the cylinder and a set of dial-needles 7 is disposed in the dial.

The cylinder 2, in this instance, is provided with the usual sets of long-butt and shortbutt cylinder-needles 8 and 9, respectively; it mounts a special set or auxiliary set of cylinder-needles 10, these bein special in the sense that they function -di erently from the other sets (as will hereinafter be more fully described) and have relatively longer butts to facilitate their functioning.

- Appropriate means are, as disclosed in said patent,provided for operating the usual instrumentalities of the machine in the customary way for effecting plain-knitting, ribknitting, etc., and including means for raising andlowering the cylinder to vary its knitting action, in the well-known manner.

Preferably and as shown, means are, in the present structure, also provided for controlling the operation of the special set of needles 10: These means (herein referred to as a needle-controlling device) include a camcarrying member-in this instance in the form of a bracket 11-movably mounted on the usual gear-ring 11 and rotating on a pivot 11". The bracket mounts a cam-piece needle-controlling device is asso-' 12 which is adjustably mounted, as by means of a slot-and-screw attachment (not shown) on the bracket. Threaded into the bracket is a headed-member, in the form of a screw 13,

adapted for adjustment therein, and held in 16, which (like the screw 13) is held in any of its adjustable positions by a binding-element 17 carried by ascrew 18 also threaded into the bracket. Carried by the bracket, adjacent its pivot, is a screw 19 to which is secured one end of a bracket-returning spring 20, the other end being secured to an attaching element 21.

Dependingfrom the sinker-cam-ring 5 is a member-operating member, in the form of a spring-finger 22, provided at its lower extremity with a cam-surface 23 which, during the lowering of the cylinder, strikes the screw 13 on the cam-bracket 11, which action swings the bracket on its pivot and toward the cylinder-needles and, thus, in position to dispose the cam-piece 12 for engagement with the butts on the special set of needles 10. The finger 22 is preferably more or less resilient so that its engagement with the headed-member on the bracket will provide for any irregularity in the parts, and insure engagement of the stop-screw with the camcarrying ring 3. The adjustability of the screw 13 insures engagement of the finger therewith. The adjustability of the screw 16, which abuts against the periphery of the cylinder-cam-ring 3, provides for varying the extent of movement ofthe bracket and, thus, insures the proper positioning of the cam-. piece in relation to thepath of travel of the engageable butts of the special needles.

When the cylinder is raised to return it to normal position, the spring-finger 22 will be disen aged from the screw 13, whereu on pivot, and, thus, return the bracket to normal position, and thereby the cam-piece is disposed out of the path of engagement of the butts of the special needles.

In Fig. 5, I have illustrated a portion of a string of stockings which, in the order of knitting the same, comprises a looper selvage g, a toe-portion h, a so-called ring-toeportion 2', a ribbed instep and sole section j, a heel-portion k, an ankle-portion Z, a plain ribbed section a, a tucked welt b, a second plain ribbed section 0, an anti-run-backcourse (Z, a break 2 in the anti-ruu-back course, and a run-back section f.

Operation The operation of the machine, and in parmanner ticular of the device just described, will now be more or less apparent.

At the end .of the ribbed work a, through the operation of the machine as described in the aforementioned patent, the dial-needles will have been brought into a position such that they take the yarn at each course but cast,

off only at every other course, thus making the welt b composed of tucked stitches, all as described at length in said patent. Then, the dial-needles are restored to position for knitting the plain ribbed work 0 which, it is to be understood, forms no part of the finished stocking. Then, the cylinder is lowered for knitting the lock-stitch or anti-runback course (Z. The cylinder remains in this lowered position during one course of knitting, and, during this course, the cylinder-needles pull down the yarn to the dial-needles; the latter knitting "stitches, and the cylinderneedles not knitting stitches. There is .thus formed a course of lock stitches which prevent the raveling back of the web, as set forth in said patent.

The cylinder is thereupon restored to position for knitting ribbed work, and several courses of this Work are then knitted to present a narrow zone or strip which runs back or ravels to the so-called lock-stitch d, thereby forming the runback section f which, as the knitting continues, will be raveled out by the natural tension placed upon the Web and, thus, indicate clearly on the web the line at which the string of stockings sh uld be cut apart. It is during the stage of restoring the cylinder to its normal knittin pos1t1on that the cutting action of the needles usually occurs-at point eand at which point the device for preventing the needles cutting effects its function. The anti-runback course is, therefore, not a complete round but is interrupted at the point 6 when the butts of the needles 10 are engaged by the cam-p1ece 12.

As already described, the lowering of the cylinder positions the spring-finger 22 in engagement with and effects an inward swingmg of the cam-bracket 11 to position the cam-piece 12 into the path of the butts of the special set of cylinder-needles 10; hut the stop-screw 16, by its engagement wlth the periphery of the cylinder-cam-ring 3, prevents the cam-piece frombeing positioned in the path of the butts of the main sets of needles 8 and 9; hence, the cam-piece does not become effective on these needles; The campiece is selectively effective, therefore, only on the special needles, and positions and maintains these at a higher point than the normal high-point movement of the main needles. Hence, these special needles 10 will, then, be above a yarn-taking plane, the yarn which would ordinarily be supplied thereto lying in front of those needles.

At the conclusion of the knitting of the course of lock-stitches d, the various instrumentalities are restored to normal position; and, during this operation, the cylinder will have been raised to its normal position and, simultaneously therewith, the spring-finger 22 is disengagedfrom the cam-carryingbracket which, then, under the action of the spring 20 is restored to its normal position. The parts are then in position for the knitting of plain ribbing which runs or ravels back and forms the open-work section 7. At the completion of this section, the dial-needles cast off their stitches and are thrown out of action, and the various knitting instrumentalities are positioned to commence knitting the foot-portion of the next stocking, comprising the looper-salvage g, the toe-portion it, the ring-toe i, the sole and instep portion j, the heelortion 7o, theankle' Z, and back to plain rib ing a, and thecycle of operations for the knitting of another complete stocking continues.

It is to be noted that there are a relatively, few of the special needles 10, usually not more than half a dozen, the number varying according to conditions. These needles are,

preferably and as shown, juxtaposed to each other in their respective slots in the cylinder so that there is a row or group of these, the space occupied by them being that in which the main needles ordinarily would be disposed.

' These special needles are disposed in the cylinder at the point where the cylinder-' stitch-cam would be at the time the cylinder is raised from lock-stitch position to normal knitting position because it is desired to have no needles under the point of the stitch-cam when the cylinder is moving from this lower position to normal knitting position.

The special needles are restored to yarntaking position'by the usual heel-and-toe-fl raising-and-lowering cam 24,

What I claim is:

1. A knitting-machine including, in combinative association, a plurality of sets of needles, a longitudinally movable cylinder for mounting at least three of said sets of needles. means for longitudinally moving said cylinder to position it for knitting antiravel stitches, a needle-controlling device juxtaposed to said cylinder, and means actuatable by the longitudinal movement of the cylinder for positioning said device in relation to one of the said sets of needles whereby.

they are thrown outof action.

2. A knitting-machineincluding, in combinative association, a set .oqf needles having relatively short butts, aset of needle having relatively long butts, and an auxiliary set of needles havingrelatively longer butts, a cylinder for mounting the several sets of needles, means for actuating the cylinder vertically out of normal knitting position to position for knitting anti-ravel stitches, a needle-controlling device juxtaposed to the cylinder and movable in relation thereto, and means operated simultaneously with the movement of the cylinder for positioning said device in respect to said auxiliary set of needles, whereby they arethrown out of action preparatory to restoring the cylinder to normal position.

3. A knitting-machine including, in combinative association, a cylinder, a plurality of sets of cylinder-needles mounted therein, an annular member rotatable about the cylinder, a needle-controlling device supported on said annular member and shiftable thereon in relation to a selected set of said needles, means for adjusting the cylinder out of normal knitting position and into position for knitting anti-ravel stitches, means movable with the cylinder in its adjustment for engaging said device to actuate it toward the cylinder, and means operative when the cylinder is being restored to normal position for returning the device to its normal position.

4. A knitting-machine including, in combinative association, a cylinder, means for actuating said cylinder vertically into position for knitting anti-ravel stitches, a plurality of sets of needles mounted in said cylinder, an annular member rotatable about the axis of the-cylinder, a cam-carrying bracket pivoted on the member and movable therewith during its rotation means actuated by the movement of the cylinder for swinging the bracket on its pivot to position it toward the cylinder, independent means for swinging the bracket away from the cylinder, and means for varying the swinging movement of the bracket.

5. K knitting-machineincluding, in combinativeassociation, a plurality of setsof cylinder-needles, each'set having butts of relatively different length, a cylinder for mounting the several sets of needles means foreffecting a vertical movement of the cylinder to position it for knitting anti-ravel stitches. a cam-carrier rotatable about the-axis of the cylinder, a camgcar'rying element swingingly mounted on the carrier, a resilient instrumentality connected to and influencing the action of the swinging member, and member-operating means juxtaposed to. and movable with the cylinder and engageable with the camcarrying member to swing it toward the cylinder when the latter is in position for knittmg anti-ravel stitches, the movement ofthe cylinder to normal knitting position eficcting a releasing of the oierating means from the cam-carrying mem er, whereupon sa d resilient member becomes active to swing the member away vfrom the cylinder.

6. A knitting-machine including, 1n comblnative association, a plurality of sets of cylinder-needles, each set having butts of relatively different length, amcylmder for mounting the several sets of needles, means for effecting a vertical movement of the member, whereupon said resilient member becomesactive. to swing the member away from the cylinder, and means adjustable at the wilLof the operator for varying the extent of movement of the cam carrying mem- 7. A knitting-machine including, in combinative association, a plurality of sets of cylinder-needles, each set having butts of relatively different length, a cylinder. for mounting the several sets of needles, means for actuating the cylinder vertically to position it for knitting anti-ravel stitches, a cylinder cam-carrying ring rotatable about the axis of the cylinder, a plurality of needleoperating cams on said ring, one of the cams on the ring being operative to actuate all of the needles of all of the sets another of the cams being operative to actuate selectively only one of t e sets of needles, and means juxtaposed to and movable in unison with the cylinder when it is moved into position for knitting anti-ravel stitches for positioning said; selectively actuating cam into and out .ot engaging position with respect to its selected set of needles.

8. Avknitting-machine including, in combinative association, a cylinder, means for actuating the same vertically to position it for knitting ant-i-ravel stitches, a plurality of sets of needles mounted in the cylinder, each set having butts of relatively different length, a cam-carrying ring'rotatable about the axis of the cylinder, a stitch-cam mounted on and movable with the ring and operative to act on the needles during therotation of the ring, a cam-supporting member swingingly mounted on the ring and operative to act on one of said sets of needles, a resilient element connected to the member for actuating it in one direction, and a depending member juxtaposed to, and -movable with the vertical movement of the cylinder and engageable with-said swinging member to actuate it in the opposite direction and against the action of the resilient element to throw out of. action the needles which would be under the point-of the stitch-cam when the cylinder is restored to normal knitting position.

9. A knitting-machine including, in combinative association, a needle-carrying cylinder, means for actuating the cylinder vertically to position it for knitting anti-ravel stitches, a plurality of sets of needles mounted in the cylinder, each set having butts of relatively difieren't length, a rotatable camcarrying ring encompassing the cylinder, a stitch-cam operative to engage the butts of all of the needles, a swinging cam-carrying member pivoted on the ring and operative to act on one of said sets of needles, a resilient element connected to the member for actuating it in one direction, a finger-engaging element 'adjustably mounted on said swinging member, means for securing said element in any of a plurality of adjustable positions, an operating finger juxtaposed to and movable in unison with the cylinder and engageable with said finger-engaging element, and means carried by said swinging member for predetermining the extent of movement, thereof in respect to the periphery of-the cylinder and whereby the cam on the member may be accurately positioned in respect to the set of needles having the longest butts to engage the same to throw said needles out of action. I

10. A knitting-machine including, in combinative association, a needle-carryin cylinder, means for actuating the 'cylin er vertically to position it for knitting anti-ravel stitches, a plurality of sets of needles mounted on the cylinder, the needles of the respective sets having butts of relatively diiferent length, a cylinder-cam-ring rotatable about the periphery of the cylinder, a sinker-camring associated and movable with the cylin- .der, a stitch-cam mounted on and movable with the ring for actuating at least two sets of the needles, an auxiliary cam-device also mounted onvand movable with the ring and positionable for actuating the set of needles having the longest butts to throw them out of action,.said device comprising a bracket swinging on a pivot on the ring, a cam-piece adjustably mounted on the bracket, a spring connected to the bracket for swinging the latter on its pivot away from the cylinder, a headed-element threaded into and adjustable in the bricket, means associated with the headed-ele lent for locking it in any of its plurality 0 adjustable positions, a stopelement adjus ably mounted in the bracket, means for 10 king the element in any of a plurality of is adjustable positions, and a spring-finger depending from the sinker-"camring and engage'able with the headed-member to effect inward movement of the same while the cylinder is being actuated to lower it;

11. In a circular knitting machine having a plurality of needles and a cylinder stitchcam, the combination of means for varying stitch length to produce relatively tight stitches which will not ravel under the normal tension of the take-up and means for selectively throwing out of operation certain needles which in the normal stitch tightenting operation would be under the point of said stitch cam and would tend to tear the fabric.

- 12. A circular knitting machine including a longitudinally movable cylinder, a plurality of sets of cylinder-needles, means for actuating said cylinder to position it for knitting anti-ravel stitches, a cylinder stitchcam and means controlled by longitudinal movement of the cylinder for selectively throwing out of action certain of said needles which would be under the point of said stitchcam during the knitting or" said anti-ravel stitches.

13. A circular knitting machine including 'a longitudinally movable cylinder, a plurality 

